Third Time Lucky
by Mindy35
Summary: KIBBS. PostCaught on Tape. Gibbs finds a reason to visit Kate.


Title: Third Time Lucky

Author: MindyHarmon

Rating: T

Disclaimer: These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No Copyright infringement is intended

Spoilers: "Yankee White", "Caught on Tape".

Summary: Post-"Caught on Tape". Gibbs finds a reason to visit Kate.

A/N: This is the shorter, toned-down version of this story. I wanted to post it here in some form because all my stories are here, because it has a very happy ending and because it is MY TWENTIETH FANFIC (!).

Therefore if there seems to be an abrupt cut in this version, please understand -- I've tried to make it as seamless as possible.

However, if you are an adult of the requisite age (whatever it is in your country) and would like to read the full story, then please head to the NCIS Fanfiction Archive where you can get all the juicy details.

Once again, _THANKYOU_ to all who have taken the time and effort to review, it really makes my day.

* * *

This was starting to become habit. This was the third time, he thought, as he approached Kate Todd's door, that he'd shown up on her doorstep, with "something for the mutt".

He liked dogs, he really did, but he had to wonder if he was fooling either of them about the real reason he visited.

Each time, she'd invited him in, made him feel welcome, made light conversation and strong coffee. If she was surprised or inconvenienced by his appearance, she didn't show it. If she was confused by his behavior, she didn't say so.

Each time, he'd found her alone; something he found incredibly sad -- that this amazing woman was locked away in her apartment, with no company but a scruffy dog, leading a life that he was surprised to discover looked just as lonely as his.

The first time he'd come, with a chew toy under his arm, he'd only stayed twenty minutes or so. He'd played with the dog, and quizzed her about how she was looking after the funny creature that she still insisted on calling 'Toni' -- spelt the girly way, like on the tag she'd had made for it's collar.

He'd drunk a cup of her coffee and watched curiously as she moved about her space, like he was witnessing something intensely private and alluring. Then he'd cleared out, for her sake as well as his own.

The second time, she'd answered the door eating an apple, dressed in grey sweat pants and a large green sweater. He'd held up a little red doggie toothbrush and she'd smiled, taken a big bite of her apple, and stepped aside to allow him entry.

She'd been about to watch a movie and asked if he'd like to join her. He'd lied and said that he'd wanted to see the movie that she mentioned. He'd never heard of it – turned out to be some overly-dramatic art house romance – but he thought that it sounded better than admitting that he'd pretty much jump at the chance to sit with her on her couch and drink her coffee for two hours.

And there was no harm in relieving both of their loneliness for a single evening, right…?

Actually it had been three long hours of torture, sitting with her on the couch that seemed to get narrower as the night wore on, surrounded by all her Kate things and her Kate smells, watching the glorified foreign pornography.

There was storyline but who could follow it with all the onscreen humping happening?

Who knew the Taiwanese were so hot-blooded?

Kate had seemed fairly unaffected by it and not uncomfortable in the least watching, sitting right next to her boss, while he'd resorted to cracking jokes and hugging the cushions.

By the end of the film, Kate was practically reclining, curled against the opposite end of the couch, looking soft and sleepy, and everything girly and womanly that he wanted to take close to his body and explore endlessly. Toni was cradled against her and he remembers the way she'd looked up at him from her cozy position as he'd patted the dog on the head and said goodnight.

Oh, the dreams he'd had that night, involving him, Kate, her couch and some very strange Taiwanese hats.

That experience had scared him off a little, but here he was, two weeks later, about to knock on her door for the third time, without so much as a phone call or invitation.

She opened the door and he suddenly rethought the wisdom of coming back.

There she stood in pajamas, little pink and blue checked pants reaching down to mid-calf, a thin light blue robe, at the opening of which he could see a tiny bit a pink lace peeking through. Her face was washed clean of all makeup and her hair was piled up on her head like a birds nest, some of it falling out of the loose restraint she'd put it in. Toni was at her heels, yapping and wagging her tail at him.

He averted his eyes from the vision of Kate and spoke instead to the dog: "Glad to see me? Huh?" he reached into his pocket and pulled out a packet of beef jerky: "I brought you something."

The dog came up on her hind legs, clawing at his arms and pushing her head into his palm. He gave into her demands, lifting her easily into his arms.

"I hope you don't mind," he said to Kate, making an effort at being polite.

She smiled as the dog licked his face: "Come in," she said and opened the door for him to enter.

"I was just cooking dinner," she said over her shoulder, as she headed for the kitchen: "Are you hungry?"

Toni kicked at his arms then jumped down to the floor, scurrying after her. He followed, not answering, and entered the kitchen to see her standing at the stove, the dog sitting adoringly and obediently at her feet.

"What're you having?" he asked non-comittally, only after he'd said it realizing that it might sound rude to ask without first accepting. Whatever it was, it smelt great; the kitchen swirled with a spicy and fragrant aroma.

"Curry," she said, taking the lid off a pot, the steam billowing up to cloud her face.

"Smells good," he nodded, looking about.

"Plenty for two," she shrugged, turning towards him and picking up the coffee pot: "Coffee?"

"Thanks," he nodded again and began unwrapping the treat for Toni.

"Ooo, what's he got for you?" she cooed in her little baby voice as the dog raced over to him to gobble the snack. She chewed wildly, gulped and panted for more. He gave her another one.

"Not too much, Gibbs," said Kate, arriving at his side: "You'll ruin her dinner."

He straightened, left the remaining treats on the bench and rinsed his hands. Kate handed him his coffee as he followed her back into the living room.

Her lap top was open on the coffee table, with a few files and papers surrounding it, a cushion on the floor between the couch and the table was obviously where she'd been sitting. The room was warm, washed with lamplight and far cozier than anything he was used to.

She picked up her own coffee from beside the computer, and took a sip as she sank onto the cushion on the floor.

"Whatcha workin' on?" he asked, taking a seat on the couch and inviting Toni to sit beside him. The dog came willingly, flopping down contentedly, with a little doggie sigh.

"Humph," laughed Kate, amusedly: "She adores you."

He smiled and scratched behind its ears. He looked up to see Kate watching him, a little smile on her lips, but when his eyes met hers, she directed them back at the dog.

"Case report?" he asked, nodding at the computer.

"Mm hmm," she nodded and sighed, turning to glance at her work on the screen.

He'd never thought about the when, where and how of the reports his agents handed to him on a regular basis. It had never really occurred to him how they might slave over them for his approval. All he cared about was that they were done, on time and to perfection.

He thought he glimpsed something of her school girl work ethic in the way she looked at the report that was obviously causing her grief. By the time he received it, he did not doubt that it would be absolutely perfect, measuring up to his -- and hers -- highest standards.

She didn't say anything more and he'd run out of questions, so they both sat there quietly for a moment, concentrating on Toni in the absence of actual conversation.

"You love all this attention, don't you?" she asked, reaching out to stroke her, her hand bumping his. She pulled it back, squinting into her coffee for a second.

"Gibbs…" she said, hesitantly: "do you sometimes think…"

"Ye-ah?" he prompted curiously.

She smiled, abashed: "I mean, do you ever wonder about…"

He watched her face as her voice trailed off, her eyes wandering away.

He had no idea what she was trying to ask. Was she concerned about her case report, did she have something to ask him about work? Or was she trying to ask some deep and meaningful question about life and their existence as human beings? Or was it, he wondered, his habit-forming appearances at her private home that had her acting shy and worried and unable to finish her sentences?

He had no idea. Should he leave now? Should he pat the dog and get out? Leave her to her work and her dinner and her quiet night in?

Curiosity killed him -- so despite his best instincts he stayed.

"'Bout what?" he asked, casually as he could, still patting the dog.

She looked up at him like he'd startled her out of a slight reverie, paused a moment, then scrambled to her feet: "Shit – the rice!..."

She jumped over his legs and ran into the kitchen. This time the dog remained with him. He patted it for a moment, took a peek at her report, then wandered into the kitchen, deciding it was probably best for him to go now.

Apparently the rice was alright because he found her in the kitchen, setting the table for two.

It was all very domestic, he thought, taking in the scene she was creating; all very…romantic -- and rather too close for his comfort. Part of him was desperately uncomfortable, and would much rather go home and work on his boat. Another part of him, the hungry part, wanted to stay and taste that curry, sitting across from Katie in her pajamas as he tried to make her laugh.

"How hungry are you?" she asked, beginning to dole out the steaming food on to plates -- and the decision was made for him.

"Starved," he admitted, standing there, feeling all useless and awkward. He would have brought wine or something if he knew they would be having dinner together.

Kate laid a heaped plate on the table for him: "I hope it tastes okay – it's my sister's recipe."

"Oh." He sat down at the table and waited for her to join him, with her own plate of gooey rice and caramely curry.

"It's great," he said, after his first mouthful of greens and rice and nuts.

"Good," she smiled and started eating too.

He forked a square of something and examined it: "What's this I'm eating?"

Kate giggled at his expression: "Tofu, Gibbs. It's good for you."

"Tofu," he repeated and shoved the square into his mouth, testing its flavor: "Not bad…" he admitted, bad-manneredly.

She shook her head at him. Actually, he thought the stuff was fairly tasteless and would much rather throw it to the dog, but it was a testimony as to how much he liked this woman that he intended to eat every last bit of her curried tofu. He really had it bad.

He looked at his plate and asked slowly: "So what were you about to ask me just before?"

She looked at him and there was nothing of the anxiousness she'd displayed before.

"Oh, I was just thinking about those boys from the Collette case," she said, steering them into more familiar territory: "I know what they did was wrong," she continued, mixing her curry around: "but I think it's a shame to ruin their lives over one stupid mistake."

He nodded. Kate still saw the world through such eyes, whereas he felt he'd long lost the ability to empathize with people who threw their lives away for no good reason. Years of his job had hardened his heart to the point that he marveled if anyone gained entry.

He picked up the conversational ball she'd thrown him and ran with it, turning his mind to the case she'd mentioned. It might be pathetic, but he was most comfortable discussing work and she probably knew it.

They joked and laughed a good deal over the meal, their usual rapport coming into effect again. Kate seemed very happy to have him there; her manner, after her initial quietness became as bubbly and charming as ever.

He watched her laugh, sitting across from him in her cute little pajamas, and for a moment felt like man who had a life.

After dinner and clearing up, Kate fed Toni, while he poured them another coffee and they returned to the living room. Kate sat back on her cushion on the floor, though he didn't understand why when there was a perfectly good couch big enough for the two of them and the dog.

She sat cross-legged, with Toni's head in her lap, as she recounted some old story from her Secret Service days.

Cradling his coffee, he took a seat in one corner of the couch, kind of listening, but mostly just watching her animated face, her eyes sparkling, her mouth moving, her smile glowing. He should be listening – and most of the time he was very interested in what she had to say. She was going to expect him to laugh or comment at any moment and he was not going to have a clue how to react.

He roused himself, tore his eyes from her face, in an effort to actually tune into what she was telling him, and leant forward, to place his mug on the coffee table.

She chose that moment to lean in to him, making some joke about the president's diet, and he turned his head to look at her, beaming up at him.

With no idea what possessed him, he moved in swiftly, putting a hand to the back of her head, and laying his mouth over hers.

He kissed her; he kissed Katie Todd very gently, very tentatively, very lingeringly, his mouth moving on hers for a brief, endless moment. Her mouth went lax and unresponsive, her words dying, and her eyes staring at him through his closed lids.

Then, releasing her, he retreated slowly, and sank back into the couch.

She gulped and blinked up at him, her mouth open in shock, looking exactly the way he supposed a young woman would look if her much older boss for no apparent reason came onto her in the middle of a totally unrelated conversation, during a casual night in.

He really wished he'd brought wine again, so that now he could blame it on the alcohol. But he couldn't even blame it on whim – he'd wanted to do that for a very, very long time. And even that brief, nervous taste of her lips had been enough to set him on fire and make him want more and more and more.

He looked down as her silence stretched on: "Sorry, I --"

She moved suddenly, cautiously slipping up on the couch beside him, her thigh sliding along his.

"Never say you're sorry," she said softly, looking at him with eyes that held an obvious message.

Gibbs hesitated a moment, then leaned in again. Sliding a hand over her cheek and tilting her face up, he put his mouth to hers again and waited for her to respond. This time, she did. His heart jumped into his throat as he saw her eyes slip shut, her head fall to the side, and her lips, soft and pliant, moved languidly, searchingly over his. One of her hands reached out, resting shyly on his chest and he pressed closer to her, deepening the kiss, taking her bottom lip between both of his and sucking lightly.

Kate's eyes flicked up to his momentarily before she switched sides, choosing another angle, and he slipped a hand around her waist, feeling her warm body through the thin material of her pajamas.

She gave a sensual little moan against his mouth and he cupped her fresh face, tipping her head back and introducing his tongue into the prolonged kiss. She responded in kind, trying to draw air in through her nose, the hand on his chest bunched his shirt while her other hand traveled up into his hair.

His dormant body seemed to come to life quite abruptly and shockingly. His heart was pounding in his chest -- he was sure she must feel it – even as his mind whispered to him what a bad idea this was.

But her passion met his with equality, and all his seemingly infallible defenses crumbled with the power of her softness, of her vulnerability, of her apparent need for him. And his need – long withheld -- for her and her alone.

He hadn't kissed a woman in so long. It seemed much longer than it probably had been – but had it always felt like this? Did every woman taste like rain water and smell like secrets and feel like honey? Had any other woman made him burn and spin and loose his mind quite like Kate Todd was currently doing with just the witchcraft of her lips caressing his?

He plunged his tongue deeper, wishing to discover more of her mysterious taste, wishing to experience and possess the essence of her that had captivated him so entirely, so bewilderingly for such a long short time. Her tongue stroked along his and twisted in a move he'd never felt before, drawing a deep moan from the interior of his chest.

They parted finally, stunned, looking at each other with wide, druggy eyes, lungs desperate for oxygen and lips desperate for more.

He took one look at her, and took her again, their mouths colliding hotly, opening immediately to each other, as the flood gates opened on a passion that had been brewing since they'd met.

He edged forward, Kate gave way easily, and they sank smoothly into the cushions of the couch, their mouths never disengaging from one another.

He felt her arms embrace him, her fingertips digging into his back, as he settled on top of her gently and dove into her with everything he'd long wanted to offer her. She squirmed beneath him, soft and small and everything Kate that he'd hopelessly desired and fought against. He could hardly believe it was her under him, kissing him back, touching him, lighting him on fire. He couldn't believe that this bright, beautiful woman that he'd followed with curious, eager eyes ever since he'd met her, was accepting, returning, loving what he'd wanted to do to her ever since pushing her into that cramped airplane bathroom; since feeling her strong, little body simultaneously pummel and cling to him.

He could do this forever, he thought, clamping his eyes closed and breathing in the perfume from her hair as their tongues tangled wildly in the open air. Neither seemed in any hurry to move onto the next stage as yet; both engrossed by the magic of mouth on mouth, body on body, skin on skin.

Then Kate shifted under him, opening her legs, wrapping one around his thigh, so that he settled perfectly into the valley of her thighs. He groaned – maybe not forever, he amended, dropping his head into her neck and beginning to taste the skin he found there.

He ran a hand down her side, relishing her soft curves, slipping under her and between her clothes to rest on the warm, bare skin of her lower back, urging her up to meet him.

She seemed inconceivably tiny; how was it possible that he was not crushing her?

How was it possible that she'd wanted him all this time as much as he'd wanted her? Yet, he felt it in the way her hands clawed at his clothes, pulling him onto her, closer to her than possible, stroking and exploring, never staying long before moving on to find more, more, more of him to touch.

He pushed his hips experimentally against hers, hearing her gasp at the intimate contact. She arched beneath him, pushing her chest into his, as her hands fumbled down to pull his shirt from his pants.

He lifted briefly then settled back onto her, looking down into her face, eyes glazed, and hair spread out, creating a chocolate halo around her face. She stilled and met his eyes.

"Kate, what's the matter, you look nervous?" he asked, his stomach jumping into his throat, as he noticed something akin to fear in the depths of her eyes.

She licked her lips and after a pause, said softly: "I am, a bit."

The fragile look in her eyes was like a bucket of cold water over him. Suddenly, he was overly conscious of his body on hers. And of how glaringly inappropriate this was, of how he was taking advantage.

Hadn't he learnt anything? He should know better.

This was _KATE_ – his subordinate, his colleague and friend. He cared about this woman; which meant he should not under any circumstances be pressing his body against hers, his mouth should never be anywhere near hers, and he shouldn't even consider sleeping with her.

It didn't matter how beautiful and tempting she looked at that moment, it didn't matter how willingly or passionately she might return his attentions, it didn't matter if he'd dreamed madly and constantly of being with her in exactly this way since not long after meeting her. It didn't even matter if he thought he might be in love with her.

He'd vowed when he was in his right mind that he would _never_ go there. It would not be fair to her -- and right now, though quite obviously not in his right mind, he had to trust the wisdom of that decision.

If Kate felt nervous, he thought, there was probably a good reason for it – it was her gut telling her how bad an idea it was to get close to him, to let this progress. She knew as well as he did that it just wasn't right. Isn't that what she was saying?

He pulled back, his body peeling away from hers, and sat up, rubbing his jaw and looking around, guiltily: "I should go."

She sat up slowly, looking surprised and hurt by his swift retreat: "No – Gibbs… that's not what I meant…" she tucked her legs under her, half-kneeling on the couch and peering at him, worried.

Her robe was falling off one shoulder and he could see the outline of her body beneath her pink camisole.

"That's not what I want," she continued softly, confusedly: "don't go." She shifted closer to him and urged in a whisper: "Stay."

Her eyes were big and wet and pleading: "Please. Stay….Here…Tonight."

His resolve wavered dangerously -- how could he possibly say no? How could he possibly say 'no' to big brown eyes, a voice husky and needy, a body that felt like paradise? How could he possibly say 'no' to Katie Todd in pajamas promising him everything he'd always wanted her to desire from him? How could he possibly say 'no' to a woman whose passion astounded him and who revived his fortified heart to a state of blinding clarity and humanity?

They sat still for a moment, looking at each other in the soft light -- then she moved forward, climbing cautiously into his lap. She watched his face, her arms encircling him gently, her chest brushing against his chest, as she ducked her head and planted butterfly kisses up the column of his neck to his chin.

"Why're you nervous?" he asked, his hands coming up to loosely clasp her waist, but his body not giving in entirely to her seduction while his mind still held doubts.

She pulled back and looked him in the eye: "Because…" her eyes searched his -- she looked down briefly and up again: "Because….I've never wanted anybody the way I want you," she said honestly, softly.

He squeezed her waist once: "That true?" he asked uncertainly, not knowing how to handle an incredible woman sitting in his lap, telling him such things. What did a guy say to that?

She smiled and nodded, her eyes glowing with warmth: "You're just so…"

Old? he guessed: Grumpy? Mean? Dysfunctional? What exactly did she see in him that made her want him that much?

"So…Gibbs," she finished, girlishly.

"Gibbs?" he repeated, dubiously.

"Yeah -- _Gibbs_," she whispered huskily, leaning in to coax his lips back to playing with hers: "Now _say_… you'll _stay_…"

He watched her kissing him, seducing him, restoring him, his hands stroking lightly up and down her sides.

"_Stay_," she purred, rolling her hips against his. "Say it," she ordered as he groaned, and threw back his head. She looked down at him, through half-shuttered eyes: "Say -- 'Yes, Katie'…"

"Yes, Katie," he moaned, obediently, as she began to move slowly up and slowly down on his enslaved body.

"…'I'll stay'…" she grinned, wickedly, continuing her sadistic movement.

"God -- I'll stay," he agreed hastily, flipping her back onto her back and plunging his hips and lips into her. She shrieked slightly, then giggled as he ravished her, and he instantly forgot all reasons why something that felt so right had appeared so wrong to him, just minutes before.

He'd never wanted a woman like he'd wanted Caitlin Todd – at least that they had in common – and this perhaps was only inevitable.

Ever since they'd met, since the first second he'd laid eyes on her, since the moment she made him look twice before dismissing her, some all-knowing element of him foresaw that he would one day make love to this woman, and that when it happened it would be incredible, completely irresistible.

-xxxxxx-

The fourth time he visited, he was the one that was nervous.

He had not stayed. He'd left while she was sleeping. She had not stirred from her slumber of the deeply satiated and exhausted, when he'd untangled his body from hers, patted Toni on the head and sneaked out the door to go home.

Her eyes had encountered his very uncertainly, a few hours later at work.

She would not speak of it, he knew, not there, not in their professional domain, though he knew that she was going through agony, wondering where they were to go from here.

He didn't do one night stands and he knew Kate was not that kind of girl either.

And in any case, there had been no mistaking the way they'd looked at each other that incredible night, no mistaking how they'd kissed and touched and loved one another, no mistaking the feelings they both evoked in each other.

The only question was; would they admit it?

He could see her consciously push all her fears and hopes, her hurt and confusion to the back of her mind as work took up five days and four nights of their time. They functioned normally within their usual roles at work, making their night together seem like a dream.

It was only when he stood next to her and could smell her perfume that he felt his body react. It was only occasional that she looked lingeringly at him or he watched the way she moved. It was only briefly that he allowed himself to consider what was going to happen after the case was out of the way.

It was possibly good to have that normal time, that cooling-off time, that thinking time, he thought, standing outside her door and summoning up the courage to knock.

Because now he was absolutely certain. One night without her had been all it took to decide him on his current course of action. And now he was totally and utterly ready; ready to claim her as his own -- and be claimed in return.

All he had to do was knock. So he did.

The door swung open, and there was his girl in her pink and blue pajamas again, an uncertain smile on her face and promising glint in her eyes.

He smiled slightly, took his hand out of his pocket and silently held up a silver toothbrush.

She looked at him from under her lashes: "You already brought the dog a toothbrush," she pointed out, reservedly.

"It's not for the dog," he said, his eyes unrelentingly holding hers: "This one's for me."

She looked down, abashed, smiling and shaking her head at the floor. He stepped into her and tipped her chin up with two fingers, showing him her smile. That fabulous, gorgeous smile he hoped to see lots and lots more of. He hoped to be responsible for creating them.

He leaned in and kissed the corner of her mouth, teasingly. "Invite me in, Katie," he whispered against her lips.

Brown eyes looked up at him for the length of an old man's heartbeat. Toni appeared behind her and began scurrying around their feet excitedly. He ignored the mutt and focused on her face, her eyes. She was looking at him with an enigmatic expression and he waited impatiently for her to tell him what it meant.

She stepped back, slowly moving out of his reach, and away from him. Then she tilted her head to the side and at last, spoke.

"Come on in, Gibbs," she said softly, laughingly, opening the door for him to enter.

So taking her into his arms, he did, and, as his lips swept down to claim her, he swung the door shut behind him.

* * *

_1) Morning of the Iguana. __2) Involved. __3) New Years Resolutions. __4) The Truth About Cats and Dogs. __5) Big Fish._

_6)Clarification. __7) Further Clarification. __8) How Gibbs Knows (About The Tattoo). __9) Here's Lookin' At You, Kid. _

_10) Any Day Now. __11) Fortune Cookie. __12) Sasparilla. __13) Two Feet. __14) He Remembers. __15) Lost Cause._

_16) Inamorata. __17) Surprise, Surprise. __18) Anything. __19) Gibbs' Golden Girl. __20) Third Time Lucky._

_And soon..._

_21) Sufficient Provocation and 22) The Prettiest Thing._

_All By Me!_


End file.
